If anyone knows me, they know I will spread Birmingham propaganda at any opportunity. For too long this great city has been unnoticed. However recently, its inhabitants have been flying the flag high. With Jude Bellingham representing the West Midlands in Madrid and Jobe doing the business up north in Sunderland, Birmingham is becoming known…

The darling of football writers making lists about unsuccessful capital cities in terms of football, Hertha have always been viewed as a sleeping giant. Considered to be among the best teams in the country in the interwar years, Hertha’s fanbase and catchment area was sliced in half with the construction of the Berlin Wall. Fans…

The last time Leeds United were relegated from England’s top-flight, overspending and ultimately missing out on the Champions League had financially crippled the club. Run-ins with administration, football’s pantomime villain Ken Bates and a second relegation had seen a club dazzling in Europe’s ultimate competitions swap away trips to the San Siro and Mestalla to…

Football is constantly evolving but the inspiration for these ideas that change the sport still remains relatively unknown. This article will provide insight into where these ideas come from and how the tactical frameworks of other competitive team sports, such as basketball and cricket, are actually exemplified within football.   Basketball   As a sport…

With the news from the kingdom just coming in that the state has taken over the country’s big four Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, and Al Nassr, the question on everybody’s lips is: Will Saudi Arabia be the new footballing powerhouse?   Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), currently owns Newcastle United, and despite…

When Brazil legalized sports betting in 2018, a veritable gold rush ensued with big names scrambling to take hold of a market that is on its way to becoming the largest of its type in the world. However, what Jair Bolsonaro’s government failed to do was put regulations in place, whether it be for tax…

On the surface, you’d think Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan are looking at a bright future. Winning Serie A in 2021, the Coppa Italia in 2022 and 2023 and sealing a sixth consecutive top-four finish and Champions League qualification, they are now setting their sights on their biggest match in over a decade as Pep Guardiola’s…

Birmingham, England’s second city, (in my opinion first), is home to thousands of football clubs. The city breathes the nation’s favourite sport. From Alum Rock to Northfield, on every corner you go, there are always some kids who are breaking the “No ball games” sign. Yet, the city is considered an afterthought when it comes…

The 2022 FIFA World Cup would see the United States compete in the world’s biggest tournament after missing out on the previous edition, with the Stars and Stripes boasting the second-youngest squad in the tournament with an average age of 25 years and 214 days. The US would narrowly advance to the Round of 16…

Since its establishment in 1977 as the FIFA World Youth Championship, the U-20 World Cup has been hosted by a wide range of countries from Tunisia to Malaysia to New Zealand and has seen a wide range of champions as well from Portugal to Ghana to Serbia to Ukraine. Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous country…